My Boyfriend of Seven Years Takes Care of My Best Friend Like She’s His Girlfriend Chapter 01

My Boyfriend of Seven Years Takes Care of My Best Friend Like She’s His Girlfriend Chapter 01

At the theme park, my best friend Sienna Vance dragged my boyfriend and me out for the day.

Julian Cole twisted the cap off her water bottle without a second thought.

Sienna narrowed her eyes at him. “Where’s your man-code? Why didn’t you open it for your own girlfriend first?”

Julian grinned, teasing her. “Elara’s basically a linebacker. She could twist your head off with those arms.”

“Yeah? I’d like to see you try twisting mine off,” she shot back.

They bickered nonstop as we headed to dinner.

At the Korean BBQ place, Sienna stared at the scrunchie on Julian’s wrist. “Why are you even carrying that? Elara’s short hair.”

Steam fogged up the windows. Strands of hair stuck to her sweaty face.

Julian slid the scrunchie off his wrist and handed it to her.

The door swung open—the bubble tea delivery driver was here.

Sienna tied her hair up, already complaining. “Who drinks hot drinks in this heat?”

Julian fished a piece of tripe from the pot, rinsed it in plain water, and dropped it into her bowl.

“No ice and no spice for the next few days.”

She turned to me instantly. “Elara, control your man! He acts like he runs everything—is he the coast guard or something?”

We’ve been together seven years, and I’ve seen this routine a hundred times.

But tonight, I was done playing along.

After dinner, Sienna came back from the restroom.

As usual, Julian had already slung her bag over his shoulder.

Darkness fell over Maplewood Grove.

Julian glanced at me. “Elara, take the L home. I’ll drive Sienna back—she lives farther away.”

Before I could answer, Sienna was already in the passenger seat.

“Duh! No need to ask. Elara worries about me more than you do!”

Of course I did.

Ten years of friendship. Back in college, when we were broke, we split one muffin.

But now, the person looking after her wasn’t me.

It was Julian.

“Bye, Elara! See you!”

The car kicked up dust as it pulled away.

Back at my apartment, Julian video-called me.

“Elara, the roads are flooded. I’m not driving back tonight.”

I laughed bitterly. “So you’re sleeping in the car?”

Sienna snatched the phone from him, her cheeks flushed from her shower. “Sleep here! Don’t worry, Elara—I don’t want him anyway, hahaha!”

That’s when I noticed.

She was wearing his vintage band T-shirt.

I hung up.

Then I called U-Haul.

In the corner of the bathroom, the laundry basket reeked.

I walked over, frowning.

It was the shirt Julian had worn when he did the drinking challenge for Sienna—the one covered in vomit.

“Why are you ganging up on her? She doesn’t have a boyfriend. I’ll handle it!”

When he gave her the only full-time job offer after our internship, he’d said the same thing.

She didn’t have a boyfriend.

So I, who did, had to step aside every time.

I threw the shirt in the trash.

If clothes get dirty, throw them away.

If people get dirty, the same rule applies.

The next morning, Julian video-called me again.

“Elara, drop off some clean clothes for me on your way to work.”

Sienna’s face popped onto the screen, giggling. “Reporting live—nothing happened last night! But your husband snores like a chainsaw. I heard him all night from the guest room. How do you even stand that, hahaha!”

“Please. Like I haven’t heard you crying over thunder at 2 a.m. like a lost puppy…”

I cut her off.

“Julian Cole isn’t my husband.”

The line went dead.